Kids' Halloween costume ideas 2026: this year's hits, DIY costumes from home, baby costumes and sibling sets

Every year when October rolls around, the same question goes around the mom groups: “What should my kid dress up as this year?” Followed by: “Is the Squid Game doll costume still okay?” Which we totally get. That costume is cheap, easy to find, and everyone recognizes it.

This year we looked into where kids’ costume trends are really heading, then rounded up DIY costumes from things at home, baby costumes, sibling sets and where to buy in Thailand. Pick whatever suits your child and your budget.

1. What kids’ Halloween costumes are trending in 2026

Quick Answer: This year, characters from KPop Demon Hunters, Toy Story 5, Spider-Man, Power Rangers, Greek gods and fantasy, and big inflatable costumes are the hottest, according to Spirit Halloween’s 2026 trend report.

Most trend data comes from the US, but Thai kids watch the same cartoons and series on Netflix and Disney+, so it’s a good compass.

• KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix): still going strong from last year. The NRF’s 2025 survey found it reached number 9 among the most popular kids’ costumes in its first year, and in 2026 Spirit Halloween still lists it as a main group. The three Huntr/x girls or the Saja Boys make a great sibling set.

Toy Story 5

Photo: Luis Zambrano / Pexels

Woody, Buzz and Jessie are back with a new movie this year. Cowboy and astronaut outfits are easy to wear and not scary, perfect for little kids.

Superheroes

Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels

Spider-Man is still a regular, and Power Rangers are back on the list.

Greek myths and fantasy

Photo: Ksenia Chernaya / Pexels

Armor, capes and dragons, better for slightly older kids.

Funny inflatables

Photo: Stephen Leonardi / Pexels

Inflatable dinosaurs and big mascot heads look great in photos, but they’re very hot in our weather, so keep it short.

2. Is the Squid Game doll (Mugunghwa doll) costume still okay in 2026?

Quick Answer: It’s still wearable, recognizable and cheap, but it’s past its peak, and the series is violent and made for adults. If your child is little, there are more age-appropriate options.

The orange pinafore dress, yellow top and two pigtails of “Young-hee,” the giant doll from the Red Light, Green Light game, which Thai people usually call the Mugunghwa doll, really is the costume Thai moms ask about every year. Here’s how we see it:

• Pros: very easy to find, sold everywhere on online platforms, and you can make it yourself from an orange dress and a yellow T-shirt. People recognize it instantly.
• What to know: Squid Game season 3, the final season, came out on June 27, 2025, so the hype has died down this year. Wearing it to an event might feel more throwback than on-trend.
• About the content: the series is a survival game where many people die, and this doll is in one of its scariest scenes. Little kids won’t know the character anyway, and older kids who do probably know it from clips or friends, which is a good moment to talk about what they watch.

Better options if you want a similar look:

• Use the same outfit but make it “little schoolgirl with pigtails.” Just add a backpack and it’s no longer tied to the series.
• A Huntr/x outfit from KPop Demon Hunters, if your child loves K-pop.
• Jessie from Toy Story: pigtails too, plus a red cowboy hat and cow-print top.
• A little pumpkin in an orange dress, using the same orange outfit.

3. 7 DIY Halloween costumes from things at home

Quick Answer: The easiest costumes to make are a black cat, pumpkin, dinosaur, cardboard box robot, caped superhero, little bee and astronaut. Most use clothes your child already has, plus paper, felt and tape.

• Robot: a leftover delivery box from online shopping, with arm holes cut out, wrapped in foil, and bottle caps stuck on as buttons (an adult glues them on firmly, for older kids only).

If you can make the costume together with your child, honestly, it’s more fun than the event itself. They get to practice cutting, sticking and choosing colors along the way. And if you’re so good at making costumes that friends want to buy them, check out Selling handmade goods online.

Black cat

Photo: Monstera Production / Pexels

Black top and pants, a cat-ear headband, and whiskers drawn with mom’s eyeliner (patch test first) or whisker stickers instead.

Pumpkin

Photo: Helena Lopes / Pexels

An orange T-shirt with triangle eyes and a mouth cut from black felt, sewn on or attached with fabric tape, and a green hat for the pumpkin stem.

Dinosaur

Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels

A green hoodie with triangle spikes cut from cardboard or felt, lined up from the head down the back.

Caped superhero

Photo: Katya Wolf / Pexels

A pillowcase or small towel as a cape, attached with Velcro at the shoulders. Never tie a string around the neck, and cut it shorter than knee length.

Little bee

Photo: Ong Béo Studio - BH ĐN / Pexels

A yellow top wrapped with black fabric tape for stripes, a headband with pipe cleaners for antennae, and cardboard wings.

Astronaut (Buzz style)

Photo: Amina Filkins / Pexels

White or gray clothes, two water bottles wrapped in foil as oxygen tanks, and flag stickers on the sleeve.

4. Baby Halloween costumes: what’s comfy and safe

Quick Answer: Choose a bodysuit or thin onesie that’s easy to take off, with no strings or straps around the neck and no small parts that can come off, and don’t let your baby sleep in a costume or a hood.

Babies don’t care what they’re dressed as, but they care a lot about whether they’re hot or itchy. Easy ideas:

• A swaddle as a “little mummy” for a few minutes of photos, then loosen it right away. Don’t wrap it tight and don’t cover the face.
• A matching set with your carrier: mom dresses as a kangaroo and baby in the carrier is the joey, or mom is a tree and baby is a bird.

Things to avoid in the first year: pompoms, decorative buttons and sequins that can end up in the mouth, hats with chin ties, and thick furry costumes in hot weather. The AAP also warns that stickers and small items can be choking hazards. If your baby gets sleepy, always change them into regular pajamas before sleep.

Orange pumpkin bodysuit

Photo: Helena Lopes / Pexels

Draw a pumpkin face with a fabric marker, or sew on felt pieces.

An animal onesie you already have

Photo: Helena Lopes / Pexels

A bear, cat or dinosaur onesie totally counts as a Halloween costume.

5. Sibling and whole-family themes that look planned

Quick Answer: Pick one story and split the characters, like Toy Story, KPop Demon Hunters, a dinosaur family, or a pumpkin and black cat. Let the oldest pick the story, and give the littlest the comfiest role.

Theme	Older sibling / parents	Littlest one
Toy Story	Woody, Jessie, Buzz	Green alien (green outfit and a three-eyed headband)
KPop Demon Hunters	The three Huntr/x girls or Saja Boys	The tiger or magical bird sidekick from the movie (a onesie in a similar color)
Dinosaur family	Inflatable T. rex (short wear only)	Dinosaur egg (white outfit with spots)
Classic Halloween night	Witch, wizard	Little pumpkin or black cat
Farm or zoo	Farmer, zookeeper	Calf, baby chick

A little trick: have everyone wear the same main color, and your family photo instantly looks themed.

6. On a budget: where to buy kids’ Halloween costumes in Thailand

Quick Answer: Shopee and Lazada have the most choice, big malls often have pop-up booths in October, and small accessories can be found at stationery shops, one-price stores and markets.

• Shopee / Lazada: search “ชุดฮาโลวีนเด็ก” (kids’ Halloween costume), “ชุดแฟนซีเด็ก” (kids’ fancy dress) or the character’s name. Filter for shops shipping from within Thailand if you have less than two weeks, read reviews with real photos, and check the size chart against your child’s actual measurements.
• Mall booths: many big malls set up costume and decoration booths in October, so you can feel the fabric and try sizes. Great for babies who need soft fabric.
• Markets and one-price stores: cat-ear headbands, fairy wings, magic wands, felt and colored tape, all affordable and enough to finish a DIY costume.
• Stationery shops: cardboard, white glue and fabric markers for homemade costumes.
• Swap with friends: mom groups in your village or condo often have costumes kids wore once. Borrow or swap, which saves money and cuts waste too.

For toy props like swords or light-up wands, look for the TIS mark (Mor Or Kor, the Thai Industrial Standard) and choose ones with rounded tips that aren’t too long, since the AAP recommends avoiding swords or long sticks with sharp points.

7. How to check a costume is safe before your child wears it

Quick Answer: The costume shouldn’t drag on the floor, have strings around the neck, have small parts that can come off, or a mask blocking the eyes, and always keep your child away from flames, because almost all fabrics can catch fire, both bought and homemade.

The London Fire Brigade is clear that homemade costumes aren’t always safer than bought ones. Cotton, net fabric, felt and synthetic fabrics can all catch fire. They recommend wearing regular clothes underneath as an extra layer, using LED candles instead of real ones, and teaching older kids to “stop, drop and roll” if their clothes catch fire. The AAP recommends bright-colored costumes, reflective tape, hats instead of masks, and testing face paint before the day.

We’ve put a checklist below, so you can tick it off one by one before leaving the house. Wondering where to take your little one in costume? See Where to go trick-or-treating in 2026, and if your child is still very young, read Halloween with little ones: how to celebrate safely too.

The best costume isn’t the most expensive one. It’s the one your child smiles in and can run around in all day without fussing.